At the Matoba Manor
by Aeriph
Summary: Natsume is snatched away by Tanuma! What could have caused this betrayal? (Summary will definitely be updated with more details as the story unfolds)
1. Chapter 1

Well, Matoba is my favorite character next to Nyanko-sensei, and I'm quite sure I'd have a hard time writing Nyanko, so this is centered around Natsume and Matoba. Not sure where it will lead, but I have outlined most of the story so nothing lovery-dovery hopefully ;) I hate reading that stuff haha. Also, the chapters WILL get longer. I'll just add in boring description of leaves and OH HOW PRETTY THAT BIRD IS. xD no I'll try to avoid filler stuff and keep it gooooooood.

* * *

Natsume gave a sigh of relief as the bell rang. The long day was finally over. He only needed to pick his way home and hope that no hostile yokai appear.

Carefully packing up the books he needed to read for the night, Natsume hurriedly crossed the classroom and down the hall before anyone had the chance to call out his name. If he stayed with someone for too long, the yokai that had targeted him in the morning might go chasing his friend around.

Natsume frowned at the thought. Being chased around by yokai was not particularly enjoyable. He'd know.

As soon as the school gate was well out of view, he relaxed his pace and took in a view of the nearby forest. The multicolored leaves clung to their tree branches. A slight gust of wind and the trees would be rustling with showers of leaves hitting the forest floor. He sighed peacefully and tucked his hands into the pockets of his long trench coat. It was nice to just be here, enjoying the scenery for once.

A hand appeared on his shoulder out of the blue. Startled, Natsume turned around to find the hand belonging to his friend.

Tanuma gave a wry smile and Natsume laughed a little at the obscure joke. They both knew that had it been a yokai Tanuma would be nursing a soon-to be black eye right about now.

Then the smile faded, or rather, the face belonging to his friend tensed into some sort of predatory grin.

All too late, Natsume began to step back in horror as Tanuma closed in on him. His view blacked out.

_Where was Nyanko-sensei when he needed him?_

* * *

Not too original xD But it'll get better I tell you. It'll get better ._.

By the way tis my first fanfic feel free to point out holes as the story unfolds.


	2. Chapter 2

Well forget it short chapters are my thing . I'll just update as often as I can bahahahah

* * *

It was the mildly sweet smell of tea that woke him up.

Natsume was still quite dazed. Being surrounded by the peaceful atmosphere of newly-brewed Sencha, he came to as if in a dream. _….where am I_...He was slowly brought out of the deep sleep that had taken him to the depths of another world.

It's been some time since he last had the chance to rest so peacefully. Most of the time, his nights were spent giving names back, following a yokai to save it's friend, or just having his mind occupied by the dreams/nightmares and memories of yokai. There were even times when he studied late into the night due to the lack of time during the day.

Completely disregarding his earlier thought, he sniffed at the scent of tea leaves again and sighed.

_Perhaps I'll go back to sleep…._

Natsume snuggled into his pillow and gave a happy sigh. Only, it was not his pillow.

Slowly but surely, the memories of his encounter with Tanuma came back.

The boy sat right up from his relaxed position on the bed and instantly earned himself a stomach cramp. It was not because he was unfit. The unplanned laps he did daily actually exceeded the regular amount of exercise a boy his age called for. He just needed some water to replenish his dehydrated state.

Natsume stayed stock still for a few moments before his cramp went away. Massaging his neck, the boy scanned the room with curious eyes. The source of the refreshing scent came from a still steaming kyusu with two empty ceramic cups. They were placed by his bed, but not close enough to be knocked down if an arm randomly flung itself over from Natsume's position.

The rest of the room was set in traditional Japanese style, with delicate plain paper-lined fusuma to finish. The whole room was in fact very plain. There was nothing besides the futon and the tea, and Natsume of course. His bag must've been taken, but by whom he could only guess.

He laid back down to wonder about Tanuma before instantly sitting back up again. This time it was due to the unobtrusive door that had quietly slid open. His stomach was taking the full impact of a second burst of cramps.

* * *

Note: I tried to incorporate some Japanese terms out there. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Sencha - a type of green tea

Kyusu - traditional teapot

Fusuma - sliding doors

(& yes, I was laughing at his cramps the whole time)


	3. Chapter 3

More buildup xD But this should be the last of it. The setting had to be set okay? Ahahahah thank you all for the feedback.

* * *

Natsume squinted at the figure behind the doors. Its back was turned and all he could make out was…

_a dark blob?_

It was as best as he could describe it. The figure slid part of its head in, and Natsume drew in a sharp breath at the sight. It had a completely white mask.

There was no other color besides its entirely black head. No sign of fur, horns, or any other characteristics that yokai usually possessed. Even its eyes were black sockets. Natsume might have preferred the one-eyed chukyuu than no eyes at all. The yokai was sending chills down his back.

Then the door slide completely open and he could see that it had no feet. Before he got any further in his observations, two more yokai appeared behind it. They were exactly like the first.

The first yokai then stepped, or rather, _glided_ into the room and went to the steaming teapot. Natsume could not see what it was doing with its back turned, but he heard the sound of water pouring. Then it brought over the tea tray, with a cup meaningfully placed within his reach.

Natsume took it with a small thank you and brought the cup to his lips. The scent reminded him of home and he wondered where he was again.

…_Touko-san must be worried._

When he finished his tea, Natsume started to ask the question on his mind but was cut off immediately by the yokai who grabbed his wrist. He was forcefully brought up till he was standing/hanging by an arm. The other two then entered and swept him off the ground in their black robes before any protests could escape his mouth.

The yokai had dragged him across a seemingly large manor. They had zigzagged through the maze of halls until Natsume smelled fresh air. Before long he was dumped on the ground.

It was a moonless night, and a man was holding a maneki neko right in front of him.

* * *

Some terms:

Chukyuu- medium level yokai

Maneki neko- I hope everyone knows this one. It is a lucky cat if you didn't ;)


	4. Chapter 4

I am going on vacation! But good news: I'll probably update before next Friday so please excuse the supashort chapter this time. It tis SPRING BREAK. And I can actually wake up to the SUN instead of the MOON :D Anyways enjoy, follow review fav blahblahblah Happy Easter by the way!

* * *

Natsume gasped. Now that he looked more closely, it was an identical copy of a drunk and squinty Nyanko-sensei, only smaller. And it was….._In a jar. _He squinted at it.

…_.Is that really Nyanko-sensei?_

Forgetting everything else, he jumped up and grabbed at the jar. The man holding the miniature Nyanko-sensei just stepped back. Natsume then stumbled unevenly before falling back down.

…_..wait a minute. _

Natsume took a little time to study the man before him. The long black hair. That _eyepatch_ over his right eye. The sinister smile greeting Natsume tauntingly…_Matoba Seiji?_

"Matoba-san?"

The man stepped back to where he was before Natsume attacked.

"I see that you have finally remembered me. Or was it from that blow to the head? I apologize. He was suppose to barely knock you out."

_Him? Tanuma?!_

"Where's Tanuma?" Natsume looked around anxiously. The only light came from behind the screen doors. All the hallways were dark, as well as the rest of the backyard. His eyes slowly adjusted to the dimness and he barely made out a grove of trees ahead.

"That boy? I had a yokai possess his body and get close to you. Its orders were to bring you here. The boy was not harmed and shouldn't remember anything."

Natsume sighed at that. At least Tanuma was safe. But how did he end up here? What does Matoba-san want? And to go to such an extent just to bring Natsume to the Matoba Manor…

Seeing the boy heave a sigh of relief, Matoba decided to change his plans. He will try talking with him first. Over tea.

* * *

Well this should be pleasant. Anything served with tea is pleasant, isn't it?


	5. Chapter 5

*Coughcough WARNING: Spoilers for manga chapters 53/54.

Otherwise, enjoy, tell me your thoughts, and wait for Friday bahahah!

* * *

"Takashi-kun."

Matoba glanced at the boy. He was inconspicuously eyeing the jar Matoba held as if he was going to tackle it again the first chance he got. In it was the key to his plan. That is, if the original plan does not work. Which it will.

He took a sip of his tea. It would be agonizingly long to talk in circles before getting to the main point. In fact, it would be agonizing for both parties. He will cut to the chase since it is nothing formal, unlike with other exorcists. Now that he thought about it, being the head of the clan brings more cons than pros. The little Matoba Seiji had no clue as to what he would inherit in the long run.

Matoba sighed. It was well into the night and Nanase had booked his whole day tomorrow, without his consent.

Gathering his thoughts, he began again. "Takashi-kun. If you do remember, we worked quite well together during the Ghoul Mask incident. You had helped me find the real one. "

Natsume recalled that incident with distaste. He had run around as one of Matoba-san's new "shiki" to identify a mask yokai possessing weaker exorcists. It had been an exorcist gathering, and few were friendly to shiki. In the end, he had been used to find exorcists plotting against the Matoba clan. They surely met an ill fated end because of him. He shivered at the thought. He will not be tricked into Matoba-san's schemes again.

Matoba continued on, seemingly unaware of Natsume's obvious distaste. "It was all too easy to find the culprit yokai with your help. So, I would like you to reconsider my offer. I will give you protection. In exchange, will you join the Matoba clan?"

Natsume knew where this was going before the question was even voiced.

_Matoba-san is not the kind of person to give up easily. _But then, neither is Natsume.

* * *

I'm sorry their conversation had to be paused! (not that Natsume has said anything yet haha) This chapter would be way too long if I went any further :p When the whole story is done, perhaps I'll edit it into 5 giant chapters instead. Hm that'll be fun.


	6. Chapter 6

What can I say. I'm sorry this is late...? okay, I am sorry, but 10 roller coasters in a day is a record! My friend got tickets and we went to an amusment part for the whole day Friday! I got back at midnight, so please excuse the tardiness. On a side note, this chapter is a bit longer than usual. Enjoy!

* * *

"Matoba-san―"

Somehow, the boy still grabbed at his interest even when Matoba knew everything about him. He recognized the determined edge to the boy's jaw, and saw the slightly squared shoulders.

_…...why does he think so highly of yokai. They are the source of mischief and fear…_

Takashi-kun had a strong will, with an even stronger desire to protect yokai and humans alike. But humans, unlike yokai, can change. Even the most obstinate people can be remade if they are under the right influence. He only had to provide the influence.

_Since this is not going to go anywhere,_

He took a muted sigh, _I will skip to the other plan then._

Instantly cutting him off, Matoba began.

"If you will look at this." He placed it on the table.

It was the pickled Nyanko-sensei Natsume had seen earlier. Though, getting drunk all the time, Nyanko-sensei could have easily passed as being pickled already. In alcohol. Still, seeing the powerful yokai reduced to such a state, Natsume could only stare in horror as his suspicions from before were confirmed.

"...sensei?"

Seeing his reaction, Matoba continued.

"Please, don't look so upset. It's alive. I merely sealed it in a power-draining jar. Look, it snores."

It was true. There was a growing snot bubble coming from the cat's nose. The huge bubble gave a pop right after hitting the jar wall, and a new one took its place instantly. Nyanko-sensei was far off in dreamland.

"I suppose you could say it is only alive now because I haven't killed it yet." He took the jar back and gave it to a servant standing by. It carried the cat off without a word.

"Wait―" He had lost the chance to save Nyanko-sensei again.

Taking control of the boy's confusion, he carried on.

"But, I will let it stay alive if you become part of my household. After all, most exorcists have a powerful shiki or two."

A smug smile slowly appeared, and Matoba leaned closer to directly face Natsume.

"What do you say?"

* * *

Very random description of a snot bubble there, yes? Ahahah I should stick with serious stuff.

Also, if you have any suggestions for making Matoba's character more canon (I've only watched the anime + a little of the manga) feel free to message/comment. I don't want him too ooc!


	7. Chapter 7

Hello there readers. HSAP next week. yaaaaay.. Not much to say since school has started and I'm back to my glum ol' self. Well, enjoy.

* * *

Natsume racked his mind for an answer. Calling Misuzu would only cause yet another powerful yokai to be captured, or worse. He would be putting all the yokai whose names are in the book at risk. Matoba-san would surely find out about its power then. Not to mention, how could he even find the Book of Friends in the spacious mansion?

Natsume could see Tanuma's worried face. The face that knows Natsume is hiding something, longing to help. But he can't possibly involve them. His friends would be utterly helpless against the exorcist, which leads to the one other person who knows what Natsume sees: Natori-san. How he'd contact the actor would be another dead end. And, even if Natori-san knew where he was, what could one exorcist do against a pack of them? Calling for help is not an option. Natsume will have to find his own way out of this.

Clenching his fists in defeat, Natsume looked up to meet the eyes of the exorcist.

"If I do join the Matoba clan, I-I have a few conditions." He had trouble actually saying the words out loud. But there was no other option, so he will have to stall for a few days to somehow escape later.

The words formed on his tongue like cement.

"First, you have to keep your word about keeping Nyanko-sensei alive. Second, I will not k―"

"I don't think you are in a position to be making conditions, do you not agree?" Matoba gave a mischievous smile.

Challenging your opponent when you have already lost, what an interesting way to admit defeat. Matoba liked that about the boy, but more importantly, he would make a great exorcist with those traits.

"Of course, I will honor my word as the head of the Matoba clan. Don't concern yourself over it."

"And I will not kill innocent yokai." Natsume continued unfazed.

"Even if you threaten me, that is not something I can do."

Matoba broke the eye contact and stood up without any regard. He made a slight dusting motion to pat his robes, and answered,

"You won't be able to say that again after training."

* * *

OOOOOH NOOOOOOOOOO, you don't even have a plan Natsume? And you're agreeing to join already? Lame.


	8. Chapter 8

Why hello there. I realize that I am being way uncool in declaring a hiatus and then giving yall this little teaser in the middle of it all. But, in the midst of studying for EOC exams, my brain officially shut off any new information that I was trying to memorize. Regular updates will resume June something...whenever school ends. Until then, erm, I really can't do a dramatic author's note ending without laughing my *** off. Skip this intro! It's all rambling!

* * *

A shiki appeared by the door and curiously peered inside. It had been wandering aimlessly in the halls after finishing its chores. Matoba glanced over and said rather pleasantly, "Perfect timing. Go take our guest back to his room. " It bowed its head, happy for something to do, and glided to Natsume.

Natsume tensed. He looked at the dark silhouette looming over him with panicked eyes. He tried to snatch his arm away but the shiki caught it and hauled him up from the tatami.

"Wait." He swiveled his head back to meet a cold stare. "I'm not done talking with you Matoba-san." The shiki dragged him to the door forcefully.

"This conversation isn't over!"

He managed to shout out before the shiki decided to abandoned all formalities.

The air was knocked from his lungs as the shiki turned into a seeping dark mass to travel through the endless halls of the mansion. No lingering thoughts could be made as Natsume was zipped away. He could barely breathe against the air pressure….

"Umph."

At last his face hit the floor.

The shiki had unintelligently dropped him flat on his stomach. With another grunt, he coughed a few times before turning over to breath. Against the bright-lit room, the shiki was easily identified. It waited for Natsume to crawl into a sitting position before bowing its head and leaving.

_Heh. Great way to treat a "guest."_

Back in the tearoom, Matoba was leaning against a wall, apparently in deep thought. A strand of his stupid hair fell into his line of vision. Why he kept it as long as a woman's was a mystery that he liked to know himself.

There was a satisfactory feeling in his gut, but also a distasteful suspicion lingering. Everything was going according to plan. There was no need think negatively. The boy had agreed for now, and with some basic training, he would be the perfect exorcist. His foolish mindset though, is what Matoba fear will be the boy's downfall. The path of an exorcist does not afford any compassion towards yokai.

_Yokai cannot coexist with humans….I __**will**__ convince you, Natsume Takashi._


	9. Chapter 9

It's officially summer vacation. No other being on this earth can rival my happiness as of this moment. I'm having trouble not spamming all caps. Enjoy and review if something ain't right :D

* * *

Natsume had fallen asleep shortly after the yokai left. He was in an awkward position when he woke up. He can't remember if he had been dreaming about running away from yokai, but he was plopped face-down on the floor. One arm was pointing up and one arm pointing down, his legs mimicking the same position. It looked like he was caught running midstride.

After sitting up he tried to rub the drowsiness from his eyes. Matoba-san had undoubtly let him go to bed very late. The room was warm even though winter was quickly approaching. It was probably past noon.

The night's events began to flashback through his head and Natsume couldn't help but feel a tinge of worry. Matoba-san had completely disregarded what he said. But he meant those words.

_…It isn't right. Killing innocent yokai….._

He sulked in the corner for a while before a sound broke him out of his thoughts. It sounded like a tiny roar. He glanced around the room and there was no trace to the sound. After a while, he heard it again and found the source to be right under his chin. He completely forgot about food.

Sighing, Natsume looked down at his stomach and his eyes widened in alarm.

Letting out a cry, he jumped up and shook his arm wildly for a few minutes before realizing the thing was rather underneath his skin.

He let out a shaky breath before regaining his composure and sitting back down. Just as he tried to touch it with his other hand, the black shape avoided his touch and creepily crawled a few inches up his arm. Natsume drew in a sharp breath and tried to stay calm. The shape remained him of something. He's seen it before somewhere, and in person. No, he's seen it more than once. It was a very familiar creepiness….

_Natori-san!_

Yes, it was just like Natori-san's curse! Natsume's curse was just like the lizard yokai that moved around on Natori-san. He studied the shape on his arm again and wondered what it could be. It was not a lizard without a tail….it had four limbs and webbed feet. ….Something like a frog?

But wait, the shape doesn't matter as there are more important things to consider. Natori-san's lizard was a curse that had been placed on him, but who had cursed Natsume? Was the curse harmless like Natori's, or could it potentially harm him?

Natsume fearfully regarded the creature in a new light.

_I need answers._

* * *

OHOHOH this is getting good. I finally finished my outline and this story will be _awesome _(& really long so I'll try to upload often or go for longer chapters)


	10. Chapter 10

Believe it or not I got stuck at my vacation destination for a few days. But fear not I am still alive! Bahahah enjoy!

* * *

Natsume found the door unlocked, so he let himself out. He peered around suspiciously before taking a step outside. The corridor seemed to have no end as he walked about.

The manor hallways had little to no decorations. The place was pale and gray. He could see light seeping through various screen doors that made a dimly visible path; it only made the place haughtier in appearance.

Hmm, it suited the strange personality of the Matoba head in a way. Matoba-san would not bother much with decoration. The only rooms with small vases of fresh flowers and other pretty things had been set up by Nanase-san. They were mostly guest rooms that kept outsiders from questioning the strange tastes/no tastes of the Matoba head. …This was unnerving. Natsume's room had been very plain; it was not a guest room. The realization startled him. How long will he be staying here?

After some more wandering, he arrived at an unlikely place. It was an open parlor with a patio leading into the courtyard. Natsume could make out the cluster of shrubs he had seen last night. He smelled freshly-made tamagoyaki and his stomach responded with a happy greeting. Matoba-san sat waiting at the table full of food.

"Takashi-kun, good timing. Come renourish yourself," he gestured. "We can talk about plans while we eat."

Natsume took a step and stopped himself. _Plans? Where is this going..?_ He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He can think about that later. There were other priorities on his mind. The dark silhouette crept back down his wrist, thinking he wouldn't notice. _Right. Let's sort you out first._

He stepped down to the patio and took a seat opposite Matoba-san. The man had an unusually gleeful air about him, though his face was calm and impassive as always.

Matoba-san said nothing else and kept sipping his tea in thought. Natsume was puzzled, but he was even more famished so he took a few items to eat.

"Itadakimasu." He clapped his hands together.

After his third omelet, Natsume remembered the small yokai on his wrist. He looked down, but it was gone.

Matoba saw the reaction on his face and knew that Natsume had discovered it.

He spoke up and startled Natsume yet again.

"Don't be surprised. That kaeru is still on some part of your body. "

"Kaeru? Then is it still a yokai?"

"It is a ghost of the yokai it once was. Its been sealed for some time. It was towering over this manor before. I never had a chance to use this one, but it now has a purpose since its become so small."

Natsume's eyes widen at the new info. He is afraid to ask but he wants to confirm his suspicions.

"…then, what is its purpose?"

* * *

Terms:

Tamagoyaki- Omelete

Itadakimasu- Let's eat


	11. Chapter 11

I don't get how you guys write so much ._. I was going for 1k but this chapter had to end right here for the perfect cliffy. Enjoy!

* * *

Matoba raised his eyebrows in question.

"Surely you've seen Natori-san's little friend. It is like your kaeru, but in the shape of a lizard. You may not know this, but indeed that _birthmark_ of his sucks away a little of his power every day; it's quite the parasite."

Matoba stopped to observe the boy's reaction. He had stiffened in terror for a second before regaining his composure. A parasite must be frightening news indeed. In the human world, parasites most often lead to death. A creature with the same niche, but of the spirit world, is even more frightening.

To Natsume, the kaeru brought some undesirable thoughts to mind. There had to be more to this. He had a good poker face, but the clenching of his fists gave him away. He raised his eyes expectantly to meet the exorcist's. The man should have more to tell. Natsume returned the cold gaze and waited anxiously.

Matoba continued his explanation, but not without a smirk appearing on his face.

"As you know, Natori is currently filming in the States, and those friends of yours have next to no spiritual power…like the one I used to escort you here." He added as an afterthought. "For now, you should know that staying here and studying exorcism is beneficial to everyone. Don't take your chances and try to escape. Anyone in the clan could track you down, the way you are right now."

Natsume raised his eyebrows in a quizzical look. He had guessed most of what the exorcist was going to say but the frog was yet to be explained.

Matoba took a sip of tea and made for a plate of sweets along the table. "Ah, right. This kaeru, its purpose is to keep you under control. That is, should you ever disobey orders and use the knowledge you've acquired here to assist our foes, your spiritual power will be cut down to nothing. Though for the time being, it only suppresses a third of your power." He then proceeded to finish the plate without waiting for a response.

Natsume was not shocked. He had expected as much from the devious head of the Matoba clan. Though, cutting down a third of his spiritual power …. no wonder he was so dizzy earlier. He felt much better after some food, but there was still a dull ache somewhere along his head. It would take some time to adjust. On another note, the sweets that were being happily devoured by the man before him irked him to the point where his left brow twitched. There was only one plate of sweets, and the man ate it all.

Clearing his throat, Natsume made to get up from the uncomfortable seiza posture since breakfast was over. He got no more than two feet before the exorcist grabbed him from behind.

"Where are you going? Come come, I'll show you the basic training plan." A delicate scroll was spead across the table. All the dishes had magically disappeared.

The man pointed to a small layout of the building. Natsume could tell they were in the south entrance with the marked patio, but the main gate, going north, only had an arrow pointing up.

"This is the section of the manor you're allow to roam. The rest…you don't need to know."

Natsume inwardly scoffed at that. No need to point out the obvious. He will find a way to escape without any map.

"And…" The exorcist pointed to several rooms, each with an individual label such as "History", "Charms", and "Takashi's room."

"Those are the current classes you will take, including a defense course out this gate every other day." He gestured outside.

"Your instructors will pick you up at the correct times but feel free to memorize this map if you'd like," Matoba dared. Natsume merely nodded to everything Matoba said. He was staring at the scroll intently.

The exorcist smiled and decides to place his last card out there to win the match and take all.

"Takashi-kun, as I was checking your things, I noticed this strange book among the school items." The boy gasped as he took out an old green-bound notebook.

"I was flipping through this and it struck me that this is definitely not a text book, with all the strange names."

Natsume sucked in some air trying the free the quickly forming knot in his stomach.

"Could you tell me what this is?"

* * *

Seiza posture is where you sit...on your legs. Just google it.


End file.
